You don’t really have to take your children to a gym or make them exercise for an hour to keep them slim. All they have to do is be active by engaging themselves in 15-20 minutes of any of the physical activities they enjoy. It could be anything from just throwing around a ball, running around with their pets, dancing to their favorite tunes, cycling around the blocks or swimming.
According to a study conducted on over 5500 children who wore a motion sensor device to monitor their daily activities, it was found that fifteen minutes of short bursts of these intense activities could keep the child from growing obese. The study also found that children who exercised less were more likely to be obese. While a healthy diet is important for kids, research has shown that even small amounts of exercise appear to have dramatic results.
Andy Ness of the University of Bristol says:
Our data suggest that higher intensity physical activity may be more important than total activity
The key to get the kids to exercise is to involve them in various physical activities where they can have fun; they are likely to get bored of any activities that are monotonous. If you have kids who are lazy to get up from the couch, its better that you get involved by playing with them and you can become slim along with them too.
Running short of ideas? Check out these outdoor activities: Bike, Balls for baseball, tennis, soccer, Frisbee, Kite, Monkey bars, Rope swings or ladders, Sand box, Skates, Sprinklers, Swing set, Wading pool, Jump ropes
Indoor activities: Boom box, Hula hoops, Jump ropes, Power Pad, Soft balls, Bean bags, Twister, Indoor basketball hoop, Mini trampoline
